A vital and timely addition to a newly relevant diplomatic conversation, from one of our nation’s most seasoned Cuba hands. Ambassador Huddleston served as Chief of the US Interests Section in Havana under Presidents Clinton and George W. Bush, and contributed to President Obama’s historic reestablishment of formalized relations with the Cuban government.

An animated memoir of her up close and personal negotiations with the late Fidel Castro, an inside look into both the quotidian and the extraordinary aspects of life in the foreign service.

Uniquely qualified to explain the inner workings of US-Cuba relations, Huddleston examines the Obama administration's diplomatic opening of 2014, the mysterious “sonic” brain and hearing injuries suffered by US and Canadian diplomats who were serving in Havana, and the rescinding of the diplomatic opening under the Trump administration.

Huddleston recounts missed opportunities for détente, and the myths, misconceptions, and lies that have long pervaded US-Cuba relations. With Raúl Castro scheduled to step down in 2018, she also peers into the future, when for the first time in more than six decades no one named Castro will be Cuba's leader.

Our Woman in Havana is essential reading for everyone interested in Cuba, including the thousands of Americans visiting the island every year, observers who study the stormy relationship with our near neighbor, and policymakers navigating the nuances and challenges of the US-Cuba relationship.